UN Special Rapporteur has appealed regarding Anar Mammadli

Anar Mammadli

UN representative Gina Romero has asked Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General about Anar Mammadli, a human rights advocate who is locked up. The appeal, made on October 23 and shared on social media, shows the world is worried about Mammadli's legal issues and health.

Romero's letter says she is very concerned about Mammadli's arrest, his time in jail before his trial, and the reasons he was charged. She mentioned that it looks like Mammadli is being punished for his human rights work and watching elections. She compared his current situation to his 2013 case, saying it seems like he is being harassed by the courts again.

Romero wants a few things done right away. She wants the Prosecutor General to make sure Azerbaijan follows international human rights laws and let Mammadli out of jail before his trial. She also said he needs medical care quickly, all charges related to his work should be dropped, and he should get proper legal help and be paid for how he has been treated.

Romero's main point is about the rights of non-governmental organizations. She said that all NGOs, should be able to get and control resources, including money from other countries. These actions should not be considered crimes. This is important for Mammadli, who leads the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS). He was arrested in April 2024, first for smuggling, but later the charges became more serious.

Anar Mammadli has a history of problems with the law in Azerbaijan. He says all past and present charges are because the government dislikes his public actions. He was in prison from 2013 to 2016 for similar charges. The European Court of Human Rights said that the government was wrong in his case. Even with this decision, Azerbaijan has not followed the court's order, and Mammadli is in jail again while people around the world are paying close attention.